Today is pretty much the last day you’re going to get if you want to order something online for Christmas (will need next day delivery though ;-). I’ve been a bit of a spoil sport this year and ordered 80% of my presents online. The other 20% I got from Mankind and therefore just had to wander down to the warehouse and then pay at customer services. Very lazy I know, but great gifts.

We invested in a large number of Christmas gift sets this year and all in all they’ve gone down extremely well. I went for the Molton Brown Enchant Bath and Shower Collection and the Aromatherapy Associates Miniature Bath and Shower Collection for my missus. I actually can’t wait for her to open them as they look great and smell divine.

We’ve had a massive amount of orders during December and from the sounds of it, more and more people are avoiding the shops and doing their shopping online. After doing a small amount of shopping over the past couple of weekends I can completely understand why. I heard today that Royal Mail are putting on extra shifts to deal with all the packages, which shows how much the online sector has grown since last year. Makes you wonder whether there will be anyone in the town centres next year! Answers on a post card!!

It’s one of the most intriguing things I’ve ever seen. I can’t help but think it must have been pain staking to get it as good as it is. Perhaps you could let us know if you have a clip that inspired you.

Alex

Kraak & Smaak - Squeeze Me

I’m amazed at how the view of pants has changed over the years and how they have really become an extension to your entire outfit. I say this from experience, having showed off my brightly coloured cartoon style pants to anyone who doesn’t run a mile when I suggest it!

The underwear that Mankind has brought comes from Mundo Unico, a key brand in the men’s underwear market. And, if you’re after something to dazzle the missus at that key moment, these designer pants will be right up your street!

These pants may come with a bit of a higher price tag, but I say that they’re worth it. If not for the satisfaction you get from wearing good quality men’s underwear, but just for the fact that you feel you can broadcast the style of your pants to pretty much everyone. It’s great.

Watch out for a whole new range of men’s underwear too. The team were voting on the favourite designs last week from another top brand in the market and we’ll hopefully be adding them to the site soon!

Eagle-eyed visitors to this site will have noticed something a bit different about Mankind of late. No, not the sleek new design or plethora of new features – it’s the addition of, er, me! Yes, Mankind now has its very own Grooming Editor.  Having written about male grooming for over eight years for newspapers and mags and having appeared on countless TV and radio programmes discussing the merits of moisturiser (hey, it’s a living, ok?) I’m now your eyes and ears on all things grooming (check out my ed’s picks for starters).

And I’m especially thrilled to have joined Mankind right now because when it comes to male grooming, the internet really is where it’s all happening. In fact, according to market research company Mintel a quarter of men now shop for their toiletries online. This is probably for reasons you know only too well: shopping online is fast, efficient and cost-effective, as well as a lot of fun at times. But the research suggests another reason why an increasing number of men are surfing for skincare: the conspicuous absence of sales assistants. In fact, the Mintel research reveals that over half of us hate buying products from consultants in department stores.

I can’t say this comes as much of a shock to me. Earlier this week I thought I’d see what it’s like for the average male consumer to buy a moisturiser and headed for the counter of a leading premium brand in a major department store. Frankly, Captain Willard’s journey in Apocalypse Now was less of a challenge. You know what’s it’s like - just when you think you’ve managed to navigate the endless barstool makeovers and nail technicians, the cosmetic world unleashes its most devastating weapon: the fragrance-welding Fembot – orange, lethal and administering fragrance in the way most people administer Mace. Oh! (or should that be Eau?) the horror! The horror! It’s usually at this stage that I simple up tail and leg it before I’m permanently blinded by Hugo Boss.

My point is, I work in the industry, and if buying a grooming product in a department store scares the living daylights out of me how must everyone else feel?  Thank God, then, for the internet (and yes, sites like this) where you can simply find what you want, pay for it and then get on with more important things like, er, life. Mankind, of course, was way ahead of the pack in realising that men have better things to do than shop (golf being one of them) and in realising that online is also where men want to get their grooming information from too.

But whether you’re here to discover how to apply a concealer, find a product to beat blackheads ore are merely hunting down some new blades for your razor you’ve certainly come to the right place. What’s more, by shopping online you’re at the forefront of the new grooming revolution. And if that isn’t enough, I read in the The Sunday Times last weekend that surfing the web can actually act improve your brain, enhancing your ability to make snap decisions. Hell, look at it this way - ten minutes spent on Mankind is practically a mental workout!

So, onto the new fragrance. It’s called Askew and, as with most of the new fragrances I smell, I wasn’t too sure at first. After spraying it and continually smelling it for about an hour I absolutely love it. It’s started to remind me of walking into up market bars in London when you get the distinct smell of class and perfection. You know that the people there understand fashion and want to look and smell good. They don’t want run of the mill fragrances, they want something that stands out and almost tramples on the typical ’safety smells’ that you buy in superdrug. Humiecki & Greaf Askew is definitely a distinctive fragrance. It would definitely help you stand out in a crowd.

I had a look at the Humiecki & Graef website to find out more about the company and they have an interesting concept. The fragrances are inspired by emotions and the two founders’ grandmothers and the experiences they passed down through the years. They have tried to keep them unique by having the bottles hand filled and caps hand stamped with the logo. It’s an interesting read - www.humieckiandgraef.com.

So, if you’re looking for something a little bit different and are willing to take a bit of a risk then I would recommend having a look at the Humiecki & Graef range, specially Askew! If anyone has tried these fragrances then let me know what you thought of them.

Mankind are basically going to give away an experience that normally only sits with Royalty, Investment Bankers (until recently) and, of course, James Bond himself. The winner and two of his friends will be ferried around in a Phantom Rolls Royce, starting at the iconic No 11 hotel -
 www.number-eleven.co.uk– where they will be staying the night. From here they will head to Oliver Spencer for their own tailor made suits (I’ll stick with Slaters for the minute!!). Then it’s off to get a pair of Church’s shoes, a tailored Turnbull & Asser Shirt and a Swaine Adeney Brigg suitcase and umbrella. Once the shopping is finished the winner and friends head to the Nickel Spa in Covent Garden for treatments and then receive a grooming set from Mankind to continue their newly found style. The evening will be finished with a photo shoot, dining and martini cocktails back at No 11 London.

Now that is the sort of prize I would like to win! It’s something that I probably wouldn’t actually do for myself (or be able to afford!). As you’re probably not a Mankind employee you are more than welcome to enter. Just visit www.bondmakeover.com for more info on the prizes and details on how to get involved. Good luck!!

To be honest, before I joined Mankind I didn’t have a clue that half of the current skincare brands existed. But simple marketing logic tells me that there’s no supply without demand. From my limited experience I’ve spotted a number of popular men’s skincare brands, including Lab Series, Anthony Logistics, Biotherm, Kiehl’s and Ren (to name just a few).

The future is definitely bright for men in terms of looking after our skin and actually feeling comfortable talking about it. I still struggle with my close friends when I tell them that I exfoliate and moisturise. You should see their faces when I tell them that I blow dry and straighten my hair every morning before work. I think it’s going to be a tough challenge to get some of these lads to open up to the brave new world of men’s skincare, but it’s going to happen. It’s inevitable, and eventually everyone will have joined the club!

Just to let you know where I stand with razors – Unfortunately I have that fantastic type of facial hair that you might refer to as ‘bum fluff’. Electric hair clippers are my weapon of choice as the other options tend to involve copious amounts of ripping and pain.  It’s the best method I’ve found so far and I can keep it at a respectable length without it turning into some sort of facial comb over. I am, however, envious of those of you who can enjoy the closeness off a good old wet shave!

The article compared three razors (Gilette - Fusion Power Stealth, Wilkinson Sword - Quattro Titanium Precision, and King Of Shaves - Azor). Judging by the names, I initially thought Gilette might have designed some sort of advanced invisible fighter jet and King Of Shaves had set up their own South American country. I was disappointed to find out that they were both sticking to razors and hadn’t moved into impressive military technology or old school colonisation. With my lack of experience in the razor world, it looks to me like their trying to outdo each other by adding more blades, offering extravagant names and telling us that their razor has more working parts than a spitfire.

Is it just me? Am I naïve about how much difference these features make to a wet shave?

The title says it all really (The Naked Groomer). My name is Alex and I’m new to the male grooming and style industry so, in a sense, I feel totally naked in terms of my knowledge and understanding about male grooming.

I joined Mankind a few months ago as an Online Marketing Executive. Now, although I use certain products and have a basic understanding of the industry, I definitely have a long way to go! My mission is to try as many men’s products as possible (they’ve already had the fake tan and eyeliner on me!) and to read as much about the industry as I can.

As a marketer I find it’s much easier to do my job when I strive to find out as much as I can about the products or services. Take a look at my profile for more information about me. Apologies if it’s a bit dull though!!

I’m going to try to talk about my opinions (for what it’s worth) on products, brands, magazines and their articles, and anything else I can think of.

Hopefully I can give you my honest opinion without a hidden agenda or subliminal message. If I get too intense then feel free to drop me a note telling me to chill out!